Jimmy Sinclair

James "Jimmy" Sinclair (18 August 1912 – 27 May 2020) was a British centenarian who was the oldest living man in Scotland at the time of his death. He was also the oldest living veteran in Scotland, having served in the "Desert Rats" during the Second World War.

Biography

Sinclair was born in Fife, Scotland on 18 August 1912. During the Second World War, he served in the 7th Armoured Division, nicknamed the "Desert Rats". He fought in a number of notable battles, including the Siege of Tobrok, Monte Cassino, and El Alamein.

After the war, Sinclair struck up a friendship with Manfred Rommel, the son of German general Erwin Rommel whom he had fought against. They spent several years corresponding with each other until Rommel's death in 2013. Sinclair also met Prince Charles and his wife Camilla on several occasions.

Sinclair became the oldest known living man in Scotland following the death of 111 year-old Alf Smith on 4 August 2019. He was the last surviving Scottish soldier who served in the 7th Armoured Division alongside Field Marshall Montgomery. He died in Kirkcaldy, Fife, Scotland on 27 May 2020 at the age of 107 years, 283 days. His death occurred one day before that of Bob Weighton, the UK's oldest living man at the time.